Our Kids and You

Wheaton College graduation

We just returned from spending a couple days at Amanda’s Wheaton College graduation in Wheaton, Illinois.  Alex stayed here with some good friends and his aunt and uncle from Steinbach, while Phil set off on the long 14-hour drive to Illinois.  On the way he picked up Michael, who had just completed his first year at Lake Forest College. 

Michael finished a great year at Lake Forest

Then Phil and Michael picked me up at O’Hare airport, as I was returning from a leadership conference in NY city.  From there we arrived just in time to attend the beginning of the graduation festivities that Friday evening. I know this all sounds a little complicated and crazy, but those of you who know us usually smile and say “That’s the Peters!”

Being together with our grown-up kids over the weekend was wonderful! We couldn’t help but feel so proud of them!

Amanda's Wheaton College grad

 This year has been a year of transition for all of us, especially our kids.  Going from the little village of Holzen, Germany to the big city of Chicago, from high school to college, from graduating from college to looking for a job in Washington DC, from attending a small Christian private school to a big public school. This hasn’t all been easy, but they have done so well!

Alex with his Hip Hop instructor  in Winnipeg ( one of the things he has loved doing even here on the prairies!)

Alex in one of his dance recitals 

When I pause to stand back and observe with my mother heart, and see how my children, our children, are growing, maturing, and sinking their own roots into the lives that God is leading them to live, I can’t help but have strong feelings of joy, love, anticipation, excitement, and a mother’s sort of pride. All those feelings of course are mixed in with other emotions such as anxieties and trust issues that come with the unknowns of the future. But my heart is so thankful!!

“It takes a village to raise a child.” (African proverb)

I have to stop here and say:

It’s all grace!....it’s all gifts which we haven’t earned and don’t deserve.  I can’t be grateful enough for these gifts that God has allowed our family to experience.

•         The grace of having a rich and stable family heritage, with parents who love each other and are still committed to the “yes” they gave each other on their wedding day.
•         The grace of growing up in a healthy loving church fellowship, which has reflected, not perfectly, but as a “mere reflection” of what the body of Christ is.
•         The grace of global experiences, which have started giving their eyes lenses to a world full of needs and the role and responsibilities they have to be agents of change.
•        The grace of learning and not giving up through hurts and disappointments.
•         The grace of friends and family who have just loved on our kids over and over again by giving of their time, sharing laughter and fun with them, sometimes giving of their money, speaking into their lives, and authentically seeing and encouraging them in who they are. 

These people, the hands and feet of those “graces”, are YOU. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Do we ever lose by giving?  No we don’t, we are the richer for it. You, I, my children, your children; we have all been blessed by these graces. Let’s keep passing them on to those around us. What a difference it makes, not just for this generation.  The benefits will carry over for generations to come!

 Michael going to Brazil

Eric, Stefan and Michael, all 3 going to Brazil!

Michael and some of his BFA buddies have planned an outreach to Sao Paulo, Brazil during the soccer world cup next month. They are running a soccer camp for street kids, whose homes have been displaced because of the construction of the stadiums. If you have been listening to world news you will know about this. We think it is a great thing.  He is working hard at Canadian Tire this summer to earn money towards this as well as college. He'd happily accept any contributions towards this project.(afro.mike@gmail.com)